Cornelia Duryée Moore
Writer/Director

Cornelia Duryée Moore wrote and directed the feature film “The Dark Horse”, premiering at Seattle International Film Festival June 4, 2008. Cornelia is a writer, director, actor, casting director, choreographer, and acting coach. Her short film, "Dancing With You", has screened at 14 film festivals, winning at Gloria Film Festival and Genesis Software. She has worked on many Seattle features and shorts, including, most recently, "Expiration Date", “Zombies of Mass Destruction”, “The Book of Zombie”,"The Gamers: Dorkness Rising", "Demon Hunters", “November”, and "An Eye for an Eye".

She enjoys working with Dead Gentlemen Productions, and has filled many roles on their sets. As a writer, she has been mentored by Madeleine L'Engle, her Godmother, since the early 1980's, and has adapted two of Madeleine's novels into screenplays: "Camilla Dickinson" and "Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun", which was a finalist in the First Glance Screenplay Competition, and another original screenplay, “The Curse of the Scottish Play”.

She attended "Act One: Writing for Hollywood" in New York, and "The Film School" in Seattle, where she worked with Rick Stevenson, Tom Skerritt, Stewart Stern, John Jacobsen, and Warren Etheridge. She won the Page-to-Screen Screenplay Contest at 911 Media Arts in Seattle.

Cornelia co-founded the Seattle Shakespeare Festival, directed there, and served as its casting director for seven years. She runs a production company called Kairos Productions in Seattle, which produces theatre and film. A classically-trained actor/director, she has directed on stage for twenty years.

Favorite memories from several decades of theatre work: a featured role in the recent film “Zombies of Mass Destruction”, appearing with son Tallis in Book-It Repertory Theatre’s “Peter Pan”, dancing pregnant with Bill T. Jones' company, and on the T.V. show Northern Exposure, choreographing on members of New York City Ballet, playing Lettice in "Lettice and Lovage", Titania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and Isabella in "Measure For Measure".

She is raising her two sons, Tallis and Theo, with her husband Terry Edward Moore. She rides horses (is learning to joust), and is a member of Women in Film.

Larry Estes
Producer

Larry began his corporate career acquiring videodisc rights for release on RCA's SelectaVision VideoDisc system. In 1984 he became Senior Vice President of Feature Film Acquisitions at RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video. From 1987-93 he developed and operated an arm of Columbia TriStar Home Video's acquisition program, specializing in quality independent feature film development and financing. His films at CTHV includes Steven Soderbergh's "Sex, Lies and Videotape", Patrick Sheane Duncan's "84 Charlie Mopic", Allison Anders' "Gas Food Lodging", Carl Franklin's "One False Move" (co-starring and co-written by Billy Bob Thornton), John Sayles' "City of Hope" and "Passion Fish", Neal Jimenez & Michael Steinberg's "The Waterdance", Mike Binder's "Crossing The Bridge", Bob Goldthwait's "Shakes The Clown", John Turturro's "Mac", Stacy Cochran's "My New Gun", Philip Haas' "The Music of Chance", Keva Rosenfeld's "Twenty Bucks" (produced by Karen Murphy) and Anthony Drazan's "Zebrahead". He was responsible for supervision of more than 60 movies during his time there.

In 1992 Estes accepted the Independent Feature Project/West "Findie" award and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Entertainment Business by both Entertainment Weekly and Premiere Magazines.

Before joining ShadowCatcher Entertainment in 1998, he produced "Coldblooded", "Santa Fe", "The Mating Habits Of The Earthbound Human", and six science-fiction films for Showtime Networks. At ShadowCatcher he produced the landmark Native American film "Smoke Signals" and was an Executive Producer of "The Book of Stars" and "Getting to Know You".

In 1999 in an internationally televised ceremony, he accepted The Christopher Award for producing "Smoke Signals". The other motion pictures awarded at that ceremony were Maya Angelou's "Down In The Delta", Roberto Benigni's "Life Is Beautiful", and Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan"

In 2000, he co-founded the independent feature film distribution company Outrider Pictures, where he served as co-chairman until mid-2001. He returned to producing in 2001 with Sherman Alexie's debut as writer-director, "The Business of Fancydancing".

He served as Executive Producer of "The Heart of The Game", a popular new Seattle-based documentary feature that recently premiered at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival, and was the first film acquired for distribution by the new incarnation of Miramax Films. And his latest project was producing “The Dark Horse”, written and directed by Cornelia Duryée Moore.

Ben Dobyns
Co-Producer

Ben Dobyns is a Seattle-based filmmaker. He began his career with Dead Gentlemen Productions, where he has served as Director of Development for seven years. He directed two features and produced several more for the company, including the worldwide cult hit "The Gamers".

A film instructor at the Tacoma School of the Arts from 2002-2004, he now works full time on motion picture production, aside from the occasional guest lecture at the Seattle Art Institute. Recent credits include editing and co-producing "The Dark Horse", directing the short film "November", and working as an assistant director on several critically acclaimed features, including "Battle in Seattle", "Zoo", and "Perfect Sport".

Ben also provides consultation and workshopping services for screenwriters and has written three feature screenplays. In addition to his film work, Ben recently collaborated on the development of the "Demon Hunters" roleplaying game and directed its companion movie, which was published in May of 2008 by Margaret Weis Productions.

Ben is slated to direct the feature film "Blindside" in June of 2008.

Heather Murphy
Line Producer

Heather Murphy brings 23 years of Hollywood Film making experience to this project. She has worked as a Producer, Production Manager and Production Coordinator. Projects have included everything from Steven Spielberg's "Always", and Kennedy & Marshall's "Snow Falling on Cedars", to a myriad of Television and Commercial work.

She has done several seasons of the Emmy winning reality T.V. series "The Amazing Race", as well as work on a couple of other Emmy winners "Six Feet Under" and "Grey's Anatomy". Heather has worked with the likes of Danny Devito, Alan Rudolph, David Lynch, Barry Levinson, Alan Parker and Cameron Crowe to name a few. Heather began her film career in the early '80's in a fertile Seattle film making climate and has also worked in L.A. at Castle Rock and Lantana Studios.

Neil Holcomb
Director of Photograpy

Neil Holcomb has been in the entertainment business practically his whole life. Since he was 11 years old he has been hanging lights, crawling across truss, running cable and nurturing an on-going obsession with cameras. The long list of features Neil has done includes: "Year of the Dragon", "Blue Velvet", "Dirty Dancing", "Stargate", "Independence Day", "Singles", "Sleepless in Seattle", "Robocop II", "National Treasure" (1 and 2), "Skeleton Key", "The Island", "Failure to Launch" and "What Happens in Vegas" to name just a few.

Over the past ten years, Neil has established himself as a versatile cinematographer. He began shooting industrials and infomercials for clients such as: Microsoft, Weyerhauser, Nintendo, and Envision Response and then collaborated with Seattle Writer/Director Thom Harp on three short films: "Driver’s ED", "8 Minutes to Love", and "Fortune Hunters". All three of these films were well received in the Film Festival circuit, with "Fortune Hunters" winning a Golden Space Needle Award. Most recently, Neil shot two full-length features; Corrie Moore’s lyrical and stirring "Dark Horse" on Orcas Island, WA and David Russo’s bizarre dark comedy "The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle", shooting nights in Seattle.

Also, Neil designed and lit 9 of his kids’ school plays , well 8 (including one killer slideshow) and that should really count for something. Neil lives with his wife and three sons in Bellevue WA where he does all of the light bulb changing, house painting and the barbecuing.

Charles Armstrong
Production Design

Born in Texas, raised in rock-n-roll bands, and educated on the sets of dozens of films (some terrific; some terrible), Charlie began his film career carrying pool tables in the snow. After twenty-five years of making movies, he's still willing to carry pool tables, "But only if it furthers the story".

He's worked at every position in the Art Department; set dresser, props, construction, special effects, scenic art-even food styling! Charlie is passionate about storytelling, and looks upon film making as a complex puzzle just waiting to be solved.

"Make a list, then check off each item as you complete it...then make another list..." Charlie’s resume is long (and varied): David Lynch, Gus Van Sant, Isabel Coixet, Sherman Alexie, these are but a few of the stellar directors Charlie has worked with.

Tamia Diaz
Associate Producer

Tamia knew that she would spend her life dedicated to the visual arts when she was 13, when her father handed her his 35mm still camera. Once she had a camera in her hands, she never looked back. She spent most of her high school time in the photo lab, developing black and white film and printing it. She studied photography at the University of Colorado, where she scored a job working in the film department. She was soon in her first production course, which led to the next production course, which led to a film major. After college she took an intensive foundation film course at Vancouver Film School, where she shot a documentary and directed a short in 16mm.

She has been working in the industry now for 7 years, mostly in the camera department, but loves lighting as well. Tamia has extensive experience with editing; this coupled with camera work makes her a happy filmmaker. She has served as Director of Photography on three of Corrie's projects so far.

Lynne Salewski
Dressage Trainer

Lynne Salewski began her riding career at the tender age of 9, and by the time she was 12 announced to her parents that this is what she was going to do for the rest of her life. At this point her father has given up hope that she would 'outgrow' it.

She rejoiced when she found the sport of eventing, because it is one of the few where a 12-year-old can ride a stallion. She was long-listed at the age of 14 for the North American Junior Championships. After spending 5 years competing young horses through Preliminary level, she participated in a clinic that put her on her life's path. Tad Coffin was the first person to make Dressage something more than that phase one had to endure to get to go cross country.

Lynne attended The Westmoreland Davis International Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, VA in 1988, where she graduated with honors. She was invited back as an Associate Instructor for the 1989-90 school year. While there, she studied under Tad Coffin, Raul deLeon, Bertalan deNemethy, Jack Le Goff, and Gunner Ostergaard. The program offered students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Classical Horsemanship under the direction of true masters.

Since that time Lynne has devoted herself to the principals of harmonious work with horses through understanding the physical language of riding. Her students enjoy her positive, can-do attitude, as do the horses she trains. She has had many competitive successes throughout her riding career. In 2005 she captured the Morgan Grand National Championship for First Level, aboard Christine Laine's SGP Raizin Kane.

She is currently training Cobus, the talented young Friesian who will play the leading man in "The Dark Horse". (Although somehow he didn't get top billing, somebody get him an agent!)

Robert Byrne Odekirk
Wrangler

A newcomer to the Seattle film scene, Robert has worked on 2 local films, "The Inquisition", a short, and "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising" (Dead Gentlemen Productions), a feature. He is an avid horseman, employing multiple riding styles. Robert has studied and practices Parrelli Natural Horsemanship, and does natural horse hoof trimming with United Horsemanship. With a background and education in engineering, he has worked for several manufacturing companies in the U. S. and Europe. Robert currently works as a contract engineer and as a natural hoof groomer. He lives in the Seattle area with his wife Crystal and his son Stuart, where he rides, jousts, trims horses, and occasionally helps friends out with movies.

Sandy Parker
Script Supervisor

Sandy’s interest in language and the narrative led her to a B.A. in German with a minor in Theatre from Indiana University. She went on to complete the extremely competitive advertising photography program at Portfolio Center, in Atlanta, Georgia. She worked for several years as an assistant to many accomplished still photographers in Atlanta, Georgia and in Portland, Oregon.

She made the transition into the film industry when she began doing craft service on commercials in 1996, and in 1997 she signed on to do continuity on an unpaid feature film project. A script supervisor was born!

Sandy recently moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she continues to hone her craft, and enjoys lazy days off in the warm weather. Sandy sees herself as a storyteller, whether through words or images, and she is proud to be a part of the collaborative effort that brings a story to life on film.

Heather Doran
Locations Manager

Heather Doran has made her living in the Washington State film industry for 10 years, successfully collaborating with the likes of New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures, and Disney, as well as independent filmmakers, commercial producers and still photographers. She is a founding member and officer of Northwest Location Professionals (www.nwscouts.com), and co-produced a short film, "Mosca Amor", which premiered at SIFF in 2003. She continues to freelance as a producer and location scout for film, video and still photography projects. In her spare time she enjoys teaching English as a Second Language, painting and traveling with her husband, Randall.

Dawn Tunnell
Key Makeup Artist, Key Hair Stylist

Dawn has 11 years of professional experience working in fashion, film, print, and television industries. She began her career with a focus on fashion, beauty, and commercial print work, but her need to always grow and expand as an artist evntually brought her to film. Since then, she has keyed 8 feature films, gotten very little sleep, and learned to use a walkie. Some of the people she has worked with include Val Kilmer, Oscar Award winner Chloris Leachman, Oscar and Emmy nominated Minnie Driver, Tori Spelling, Natasha Lyonne, Will Wheaton, a bunch of Hall of Famers from the NFL, a governor or two, and some other people on T.V. you might recognize from the likes of "Lost", and "Prison Break".

Doris Black
Costume Designer

Doris Black has been working as a freelance costume designer in the Seattle area ever since she moved here to go to graduate school at the University of Washington in 1994. She fell in love with the area and decided to stay. Originally her focus was on working in theater but over the years she has branched out into film. She discovered that she greatly enjoys the medium and the collaborations it produces. She has designed the costumes for feature movies "Dark Horse", "Police Beat", "Cthulhu", and "It’s Not You, It’s Me" and shorts "Combustible Chef" and "Anybuddy Home". She did the costumes for "Shut Eye" which is part of this year’s Fly filmmaking challenge. She was the costume consultant for "Zoo".